Marimekko’s Finnish lines

Design firm Marimekko on display at the Textile Museum

Marimekko, the Finnish ﬁrm founded in 1951 by designer Armi Ratia and her husband Viljo, energized not only an industry, but a nation and its lifestyle. The Marimekko philosophy was that bold design had a powerful effect on everyday life, through thoughtful objects from clothing to bedding to towels, table linens and beach umbrellas. One of the studio’s star designers was Maija Isola, who created more than 500 Marimekko patterns, including the enduring Ananas and Joonas prints and in 1964, the now-famous splashy Unikko poppy blooms most closely associated with the brand. In Canada, it was Toronto architect and industrial designer Janis Kravis who introduced Canadians to the brand through his studio Karelia. The new exhibition, Marimekko, With Love at the Textile Museum of Canada showcases select items from the private collection of Janis and Helga Kravis. It includes ephemera and rare archive materials as well as examples of the early product design, which thanks to recent crossover collaborations with Aesop, Crate & Barrel, Converse and Finnair, is as relevant, modern and cheerful as ever.